Haryana Diary: BJP remembers martyr, wins hearts

Panipat: Martyr Dada Kushal Singh Dahiya is a hero for all sections of society. But by holding a grand programme on his martyrdom at Badkhalsa village of Sonepat, the BJP won the hearts of the Jat community, especially in the Deswali belt of the state. A state-level programme was organised by the state government to celebrate the martyrdom and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was the chief guest. Dahiya is remembered for his extraordinary sacrifice linked to the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru. Notably, the area is considered to be a citadel of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, but in the last Assembly elections held in October, the BJP registered a win at Rai, Kharkhoda and Sonepat Assembly constituencies.

Who will call the shots at Hisar event?

Hisar: There have been clear fault lines in the Hisar unit of the Congress even after appointments of the District Congress Committee president for rural and urban segments. The factionalism came to light on October 31 when two factions – one led by the DCC Rural Brij Lal Bahbalpuria and another by the Congress MLAs — organised separate events to pay homage to the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at Congress Bhawan. The party district unit’s unity will be tested again on November 18 when the Congress has announced to organise an event in Hisar to protest ‘vote chori’ as alleged by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Party sources indicated that Bahbalpuria should be in charge of the event and should preside over the event as per the protocol of the party. However, Congress activists are in wait-and-watch mode. Will it be Bahbalpuria or Hisar MP Jai Prakash who will call the shots at the event? Bahbalpuria is said to be a confidant of Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala and Jai Prakash owes allegiance to former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Craze of VIP passes continues at IGM

Kurukshetra: Amid the pressure of ensuring a smooth International Gita Mahotsav, arrangements for an adequate number of stalls for social and religious organisations and even those coming with political references remain a major task for officials of Kurukshetra Development Board and the district administration. With the Mahotsav beginning, a large number of people can be seen reaching the office of the KDB with requests to get the number of stalls increased, additional requirements at the stalls and even to get VIP passes. An official said this is the same situation every year as every person wants a VIP pass for his vehicles, but it becomes difficult to satisfy every person. Except for the days when there is VIP movement of Central ministers, there is no requirement for passes, but still, people make a beeline and come with political references to get passes.

Paddy scam brings Karnal into spotlight

Karnal: Karnal district finds itself in the headlines once again, this time due to the deepening ‘paddy scam’. With registration of four FIRs and arrest of three employees and two millers so far, the police are digging into how fake gate passes and irregular procurement practices slipped through official cracks for so long. In the previous years too, similar cases came to light, but this time, action by district administration and the police have found the involvement of several employees and rice millers. In political circles, the “scam” has revived debates on accountability, transparency and the unchecked influence of middlemen. For Karnal, the controversy is a reminder that systemic lapses rarely stay hidden for long.

One controversy, one celebration

Rohtak: Two women-related moments recently put Rohtak at the centre of national attention. One was the troubling incident at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), where sanitary workers were allegedly asked to provide “menstrual proof,” raising questions about dignity and sensitivity. In sharp contrast, local girl Shafali Verma’s marvellous performance in the Women’s Cricket World Cup final filled the city with pride. One incident brought unwanted embarrassment while the other brought honour and joy to Rohtak.